Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment and a 22 year veteran of Warner Bros. has stepped down, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Nelson had previously been on a leave of absence since March, following a series of “personal situations.” Many expected Nelson to return within months, however Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara revealed Nelson’s decision in a company-wide announcement yesterday.
Tsujihara said, “Throughout her tenure, her leadership and contributions have helped shape the way the studio operates today, and we’re better for having had her on our team. While we’re sad she’ll be leaving us, we completely respect and support her decision. Whatever her next chapter holds, I know she’ll make it amazing.” Nelson has made waves at Warner Bros., spearheading the Harry Potter franchise and developing a close relationship with writer/producer J.K. Rowling. She has served as President of Warner Premiere, the direct-to-DVD feature film and short-form digital content division, as well as Executive VP Global Brand Management for Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Since 2009, Nelson served as President of DC Entertainment, which folded all of DC’s media properties under one banner. During her tenure, fans saw the rise and fall of ‘The New 52,’ and the launch of the critically acclaimed ‘DC Rebirth.’ Nelson oversaw the DCEU, and although most of the movies were not well received, she did have a major success with Wonder Woman, a box office bombshell.
Arguably, Diane Nelson’s most successful project was in the television partnership with Warner Bros. Television Group. During her years as President, the CW produced some highly popular shows, starting with Arrow, which gave birth to The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow. Most recently, Black Lightning has been the CW’s newest breakout DC show.
So what happens now with DC’s leadership? According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The interim executive structure established during her leave will remain for the time being. That framework sees Thomas Gewecke, who serves as Chief Digital Officer and Executive VP strategy and business development at Warner Bros., overseeing the DC executive management team of Dan DiDio, Jim Lee, Geoff Johns and Amit Desai. Warner Bros. Consumer Products president Pam Lifford will now report directly to Tsujihara.” It’s difficult to speculate beyond that.
Finally, in a statement, Nelson said “Warner Bros. has been my home for over 20 years with a wide variety of incredible professional experiences.” She continues by saying “The last nine — rebuilding and managing DC Entertainment — have been a particular highlight and privilege. With the support and talents of our staff and creators, I am proud to leave DC even stronger than when I joined it. I will miss everyone — particularly my executive management team — without whom none of our achievements could have been realized. And I am excited to take on my next professional adventure.”
